Just last week, the Tamil Nadu government slapped sedition charges against TTV Dhinakaran, who has been leading dissidence against the ruling AIADMK, which has been termed as political vendetta by several experts. Last year, the Karnataka government charged Shashidhar Venugopal, the leader of the Akhila Karnataka Police Mahasangha for leading a protest that involved a the state's constabulary striking work.

There have been tens of similar cases over the years involving cartoonists, activists, students, and even police officials. In fact, notwithstanding activists' opinions that the 1870 law must be shelved, a total of 112 cases of sedition under section 124-A of the IPC have been booked in the country in three years, according to the latest compilation by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).